Siren
by Five seas
Summary: It got harder to let him go with each time he found her. Sharona and Pino, last part of the vamp series. Rating: ?/5


**I don't own Shaman king.

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Siren

Sharona frowned at the bottle in front of her. She was sure the damn thing was fuller last time she checked…Oh, well…

She was only on her second glass of wine, and she was feeling that this was going to be a bad night. Sure, the vampire wasn't a cheery one, but it usually took her a whole bottle before she even started acting…unusually. Perhaps Chardonnay wasn't good enough for unnatural hunger anymore, although one of her lovers (God knows when that had been) had made a recipe for one, especially for her. Never became popular though…

Thinking stray thoughts, she took a slow stroll through the kitchen. Her book, "Still Life" by A. S. Byatt was wonderful, but it required her full attention and tonight, no matter how hard she tried, she could not focus. A pity, because the book was absolutely wonderful. The life of a married couple, the problems of a mathematical genius, the journey to finding yourself through experiencing life and sex…She especially liked the chapter with the description of childbirth. Sharona, for all her years, had never been able to experience something like that, and yet the tales of exuberance and happiness related to it paled in comparison to the narrative in that story. The time before it, the conditions in the hospital, the women waiting for an examination, and again, the waiting for the actual birth to come, were told not bluntly and coldly, but clearly, and humanly. It was not ecstasy that made Stephanie happy, it was recognition. Sharona read with anxiety for the young woman, anger at the useless mother-in-law, compassion for the brother, and a little annoyance over the personnel in the hospital who lost her Wordsworth.

But tonight she couldn't enjoy her favorite book, and it was not because of hunger (she'd learned to control herself centuries ago), but because of anxiety. Her friends had gone out for the day, and they still hadn't returned.

It wasn't hard imagining where Ellie and Millie were. Those emotional youngsters still thought they'd seen it all! Millie probably thought that she and Lyserg could keep it a secret for long, but with Ryu knowing the particulars about their 'condition', it wouldn't be long before he figured what their innocent playing revolved around. And Ellie…gods, she was probably ecstatic about having a man who was always horny for her and always willing to have fun with her. The blond sighed-she just wanted the best for her girls, and that those guys wouldn't get out of their way by doing something extreme like…proposing.

She winced. Getting married had been fun when people still died young, but now it was impossible to keep your secret without ruining everything. And she knew that vampires couldn't mate with each-other-their feeding habits made that hard enough. But still, if those two would seek happiness with humans, she hoped that they would at lest wait for them to become the legitimate age for marriage and parenthood.

As for Sally and Lilly, she had suspicions about them as well, but thankfully, they were smart enough to keep feelings out of the equation. Whether it was their age and experience, or simply the fact that they thought feelings ruined their fun, they managed to keep it simple. And yet, here they were, suspiciously missing, and she was getting worried. Throughout the years, she had learned the difference between suspiciously missing and commonly missing. It was very big!

She contemplated her glass. Now that everyone was breaking the rules, keeping to it would be almost…almost…Stupid! And yet they, of all people, should've remembered the reason why they decided not to drink blood!

They owed Yoh! And now they were draining people, his friends for that matter, like…leeches. Perhaps it was her fault because she wouldn't think of an alternative feeding method, but damn it, she never thought that they would be so…dumb!

On the other hand, Lyserg and Ryu hadn't looked happier, and Sharona was fairly certain that the dreamy smile on Marco's face was a good thing (and she knew that he was a victim for a fact because his blood started to smell a lot lighter). Now all she had to do was find herself a naïve dope to shag but…Damn, she couldn't do Yoh. Even though Anna wouldn't kill her, recovering from a potential fight was going to be hard, and getting kicked out of Patch Village was the thing everyone had fought against so hard…

Although, when you thought about it closely, the girl would appreciate the knowledge later. Sharona had no doubt that both of them loved each other and that they would marry no matter the result of the Tournament, but she was also sure that their wedding would be very, very anxious. They'd go over the ceremonies and the tearful oaths, and the reception with lots of cake and traditional dancing, all worried about the event afterwards, and when they finally got to it, they would be both so freaked out that she'd start yelling at him and he'd spend the night on the couch…and so on every night until the hormones kicked in and they learned the benefits of dark rooms.

How mortifying! Suddenly, she wondered how on earth did people reproduce when sex before marriage had been impossible in the olden days…oh, right, because there was always someone who broke the rules. Maybe she could send them a manual of some sorts, as a present…one of those thingies written for dummies, with lots of illustrations where everything was labeled and joined by a text in really small words.

Kicking herself for even contemplating that, she decided to make some dinner. People have gotten so far because they took chances-Yoh would just have to take a chance and hope that nature kicks in before Anna does. As for her, she was just going to demonstrate how superior her self-control was and…

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sally's coming in the kitchen and popping down unceremoniously on a chair. Sharona watched in quiet amusement as she got up, looked in the fridge, snorted with disgust and said that she would go buy dinner. In mid-step, she returned and looked at the pots, snorted again and headed towards her room. Ten seconds later she flew down the stairs, saying that there was no hot water in the shower, and popped herself on the living room couch to read a magazine.

The only thing that could make Sally this happy was feeding. Damn it!

"Is there really no one who respects the rules anymore?" she asked "Please, help me conserve my fantasy that Millie is still sticking to our unfortunate diet!"

"Sorry, you know I can't lie."

The woman closed her eyes and counted to ten. Then she opened them and sighed in disappointment-the world was still gloomy.

"Can you at least try to pretend you didn't get laid?"

"Like anybody would notice."

A thin brow winged upward in disgust. "Then perhaps you'd like to tell me where the hell you find these guys!"

"Yoh's friends, or any close acquaintances."

"Damn it, Sally, this is serious business!"

"That's why we're going to the beach tomorrow. All of us." She looked up with a smile "You need a distraction, and you can't smell blood under water. I've already arranged for Ellie and Millie to be busy with someone. You need a break, and so do we, so we'll enjoy it."

Blunt as usual, and painfully right, Sharona acknowledged. Indeed, she wasn't going to have trouble if she was submerged under the surface of the water, and she was very likely to find some seashells for her collection…But what if the guys…Which guys…

"Who will come with us?"

"Yoh's gang. And Tao's team. Ellie and Millie need their guys, otherwise, they'll nag you into finding a love interest yourself." Sally snorted "Talk about overly-excited."

"You're the one to talk."

"It'll be fun." Her smile became wistful "I hope that the girls pick the hint up and use those bathing suits we got last year. We haven't used them at all."

"That's because we bought them on a sale in DECEMBER." Sharona pointed out.

"You always said you wanted something different and we couldn't get into a stripper club because of Millie." She shrugged "And please, don't pull out that 50'ies monstrosity, Sharona! I was going to have a heart attack when you put it on last time!"

"It looks very chic, and you're the one who insisted on me buying it, woman!" Sharona cried

"When they were in! Besides, the times are different-people don't faint if they see some skin anymore."

"Some of them. And that thing you got me is not what someone should wear in front of a bunch of teenage boys!"

"Just be grateful it's actually covering something. Millie's swimsuit may look on a little girl, but if she transforms for Lyserg, it would be absolutely useless."

Cringing at the mental images Sally convoked, Sharona prayed that Millie would make sure nobody ELSE would see her like that. "Tell me, that beach scheme isn't for you to tease some poor sucker, is it?"

"Who? Moi? I'd think you need that more than me."

"Don't tease the bull, he's got horns." Sharona warned and headed upstairs.

* * *

Getting girls excited about a trip to the beach's never been hard, and Sharona knew well enough that she'd be hooked about it sooner or later. Everyone rose early on the next day (a miracle if she ever saw one), prepared snacks, checked how they looked in their swimsuits, got out and walked to the beach before the day got too cold.

Yoh, Lyserg, Ren, Horo Horo, Ryu, Anna, Jun, Manta and Tamao were already waiting for them. Pirika and Chocolove hadn't been able to wake up and Ren had ordered the reluctant Ainu to leave them behind. Faust had some assignments in Patch Hospital, and had declined the offer. So much the better, Sharona sighed inwardly as she opened a large umbrella, she wouldn't have to worry about staring much.

Jun, Manta, Tamao and Yoh sat down for a game of cards immediately, while Millie tugged enthusiastically Lyserg to "swim". Ryu and Ellie sent them with worried looks, but the tall man soon forgot his anxiety over his protégé when Ellie pulled her sundress off and revealed her orange two-piece.

It's not too bad, Sharona thought, as she threw looks around her. Tamao obviously had been bothered about her choice of bathing suit, but one look at them gave her enough confidence to show it. Anna was scowling so hard she could give "The Thinker" a run for his money, but at least she was sure that Yoh wasn't a skirt chaser. The boy was so concentrated on the game that Sharona was beginning to doubt his knowledge that there were actually two genders in this world.

She remained in her dress, but Sally and Lilly stripped down to shorts and tops and calmly started to play beach volleyball. Ren and Horo joined them soon enough. In the end, she and Anna chatted under the umbrella, while they observed the two games and offered an advice here and there. It wasn't the most cordial of conversations, but it was…interesting to watch what was going on in front of them and share opinions.

"Ryu obviously fits into 'likes walks on the beach' category." Anna stated as she watched him take his girlfriend by the hand and for a stroll down the wet sand.

"Girls like that any time. Tamao looks like she'll like to go for one herself." Neither changed their expression. "Perhaps Horo should help with that."

"He seems too preoccupied in beating Ren for that."

"Or to stare at Lilly's breasts."

"Also possible." she looked over at the volleyball game "At least Sally and Ren are concentrated on the victory, it's good to have a person like that on each team."

"How true. Even though they'd both tell you there isn't much that would serve as a distraction." Sharona hid a smile. Judging by Ren's unwillingness to have any male (be it Horo Horo) around Sally, it was easy to deduce that he was her latest victim. No bite marks were visible on him, but you couldn't see all of his body from where they stood. She turned her attention back to the cards game.

"Jun-san and Manta-kun make a good team." She observed.

"Indeed." Anna refrained from talking about Yoh and Tamao, but Sharona's curiosity was getting the best of her. The girl's crush was obvious! And Anna didn't seem to do anything…both for him and her! Wasn't she supposed to be a little worried about her fiancé?

"I admire your self-control, Anna-san." Sharona said quietly "Yoh-kun is lucky to have a fiancée who gives him so much freedom."

"He would tell you right the opposite. His training program is very…hard."

"And energy-consuming. Yet he's never really tired. Are you not…concerned?"

"Never." Yoh knew well enough that her expectations for him didn't stop at his becoming Shaman King. Any deterioration was punished. "Tamao doesn't have the guts to tell him how she feels in the face, and he's too dense to notice himself. I won't punish puppy love, if that's what you're implying."

"Of course not." The Mona Lisa smile on Sharona's face made Anna look at her, concerned. "I'm not saying that the way she clings onto him is sickening or anything…However, don't you want to demonstrate your affections for each other more often? It's only Tamao now, but what will you do if somebody else sets their sights on him? Somebody, who's not so good or…unsure about their qualities as a woman. Tamao's your friend and she respects you, but she's never seriously believed that someone like Yoh would look at her as a woman." She left the blond to imagine the rest. Her look darkened.

"Why would you tell me that?" she asked carefully.

"Because…" putting on her accomplice look "I've just seen this article…that insists that a "Kiss on the cheek every day keeps the unwanted girls away"." As she obviously didn't follow, she elaborated "Small, gentle gestures warm up the heart. Remember this, Anna-san."

Ryu and Ellie returned in good spirits. The look on the girl's face made Sharona beat a hasty retreat for the ocean, saying that she wanted to dive for corals and seashells.

Manta and Jun got interested and decided to go on an expedition on their own. Anna took advantage of that and scooted closer to Yoh. She looked over his shoulder, frowned at his cards, but put her hand on his shoulder and leaned on him. The boy looked slightly surprised, but since no slap or a shout came, he just smiled and relaxed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ellie was scolding Ryu for not putting any sunscreen on. "Honestly, what are you going to do tonight, if you can't lie calmly and sleep peacefully? You'll go nuts!"

"It's not my fault. I can't put any on my back." Ellie laughed at his cheeky reply and quickly got behind him.

"Then allow me to fix that problem. We can't have you suffering from an insomnia now, can we?"

The volleyball landed right in front of them with a loud thud. "Ooops, sorry about that, it slipped me!" Lilly crooned with a mockingly sweet voice.

Nobody could smell hormones flaring up faster than Sally, and she decided that it was high time to change the game "I'm bored with that. Let's go rock diving already."

"Rock diving? But I wanna finish the game!" Horo complained. Ren punched him on the head.

"Shut up already, Boro-Boro. I'm bored too." He turned to the girls "How do you rock dive?"

"Doesn't the name say it all?" Sally offered him a grin "We climb on a spot over deep water and we jump in. I looked up the maps here, so I'm fairly certain that there isn't a strong current that would drown us."

"We'll push Horo first to make sure it's safe." He said calmly and followed her to the rocks.

"Hey! Don't go off deciding things like that! What if I'm not interested in diving!" Horo yelled.

"It's either that, or watching those two's make-out session." Lilly murmured, before running after the two. Anna and Tamao caught up soon enough, and with them gone, Horo and Yoh had no choice. They waved the couple goodbye and ran towards the rocks for some diving.

* * *

The cold water against her skin felt like a painful slap, but Sharona ignored it and swam energetically until she was far too deep for anyone to see her. Then she stretched on her back and let her skin drink the warm rays of the sun. It was so…nice. It reminded her of the times when the sun was there all the time, and when clothing wasn't so…restrictive. Or social habits. Damn, but she missed those times.

It was so hard, trying to fit in. Every age, every society…she had to be just like them, in order to survive. The image she had chosen now prevented her from wearing anything that wasn't flashy and expensive, and restricted her behavior to a cold and controlled exterior. She couldn't sun bathe on the terrace because it wasn't something she could do. Sharona never considered herself a prude, but modesty hadn't always been an issue. Indeed, some cultures still considered nudity as a way of proving your suitability for marriage.

She blinked a few times, surprised at the sting of tears in her eyes. Why were relationships so upsetting these days? Oh, right, because her friends got some sex while she was high and dry like a boat in a desert. So what? Relationships didn't end up with marriage nowadays, whether it was for the best or worst was a different question. Sharona had tried that some time ago and had found out that it would never work out-the cons of the situation outweighed the pros every time. She had to change location every twenty or so years, to make sure people didn't notice the change, had to lie, to fake IDs, to run from the law…it was vexing and annoying. Marrying someone would only drag them deep into the shit, and eventually, they would age and die. It was inevitable.

Her attempts to have children were relinquished after she realized that her body would reject the fetuses just as violently as it would reject AIDS, scarlet fever, germs and poison, resulting in pain and suffering for her. At the memory of a particularly painful miscarriage, her eyes watered and dove into the sea again.

* * *

When Sharona resurfaced, the first thing that caught her attention was that she wasn't alone. Someone was drifting a few meters ahead of her and when she looked closely, noticed that it was a tall, blond man.

Knowing well enough that it couldn't be Faust, she made move to swim away, but was stopped when something caught her attention. At first she couldn't make it out, because it was thin and invisible like a single hair in the water. However, it was far too thick to be her hair, and it curled suspiciously like a strand of nylon.

It wasn't until the pain struck her that she realized what it was. Holy shit, what did a Cyanea Capillata do there? She pushed herself away from the tiny tentacles and carefully swam towards the man.

A Lion's mane jellyfish was one of the largest and deadliest sea creatures. Its tentacles burned and cut like whips of steal, and left the victim in the uttermost agony. Some of them were large and algae-like, others were longer and invisible. All of them could kill somebody with a weak heart. And if she wasn't sliced and diced yet, that guy up ahead must be a mess.

Genly, she swam forward until she saw him. He was lying back, his lips were open and his skin was cracked. Thankfully, the tentacles were still the smaller ones, but they had been enough to make him unconscious.

Maybe it was best this way. She closed her eyes and focused, summoning her guardian ghost, and, using an oversoul similar to Ellie's, cut the man loose. Then she put her arms under his shoulders and started doing the backstroke to the beach. Somewhere in mid-way, he woke up.

The sting of curses that left his mouth, along with some cries of pain, made her wince, but she finally remembered who he was.

"Easy there, Pino." She crooned as she finally felt some sand under her legs and helped him lie sideways on some rocks. There, as he gasped and groaned, Sharona proceeded to examine his injuries. He'd been in the water for too long, he was dehydrated. The tentacles had cut in many times, passing numerously through his chest and legs. The blond was out of breath-the shock that had made him lose consciousness had worn off, but was still strong.

At least the cuts were not deep enough. All he had to do is counteract the pain and get disinfected. However, he got madder with pain by the minute and she was pretty sure that he wouldn't listen to the reasoning. Alcohol could do the trick, but there was no way to get any on an abandoned beach. Sharona looked around, trying to find some sort of trace that could help her find her friends, but all she could see were sharp rocks and wild plant life. Damn it. Morphine could do something for the pain, or a shot of oxytocin, but she couldn't get neither out there…At this time, his brain couldn't produce any to counteract the pain either…

Narrowing her eyes, Sharona looked up at the sky and wondered if this was some challenge sent for her. Then she directed her gaze at Pino. "You're not faking it, are you?" she sighed "Fine then, buddy, I'll save you. Best prepare yourself though, this is going to be a rough journey."

Sitting next to him, Sharona made him lie on his back, before slowly undoing the string on his bathing trunks. Pino was turning his head on the side feverishly, and his gasps only got louder when she wrapped her hand around his length and started working it up and down.

Gods, but this was infatuating, she thought with annoyance. That stupid jellyfish could kill and they didn't even look out for them…then again, they stayed in cold, Arctic waters, they only came around Long Island for their mating season…Good thing they died quickly, and the beach wasn't overpopulated-it would go away without anymore incidents.

Thankfully, the beach WAS abandoned, because nobody came around when Pino's gasps escalated into moans, both of pleasure and pain. "I really must be nuts, doing something like this…" Sharona thought. Sex was supposed to stimulate the production of the hormone oxydacin, which relieved pain…so if she managed to get him off, he'd be able to muster enough coherence of thought to get him to a hospital.

His cock was hard, and he had managed to ignore the pain enough to look at her. His eyes widened-had he recognized her. Sharona shot a smile, before bowing her head and sucking gently on the tip.

Over and over, an alarm shouted out in her head, as she continued her ministrations. This was absolutely stupid, unnatural, immodest, uncomfortable, indecent, unclothe and…kind of creepy. But then again, her own chest was covered with engine-red bruises and she managed to ignore the pain. Sure, he hadn't had more than a millennia to learn how to control his body, but damn, he was a man. Weren't men supposed to be stronger?

Moving into a more comfortable position, Sharona let her tongue caress him lightly before taking him in her mouth. A loud groan told her that she now had his full attention, and that the pain was subduing. _Now's the time to stop, put his shorts back on and drag him to the nearest hospital, _reason told her…

But she couldn't leave him like that. He was only slightly distracted, and that wouldn't last long. Besides, this was so…so…fun. The rusty smell of blood from his wounds, his heartbeat under her fingertips, the pinching pain in her own chest…it was making her sizzle with anticipation. Not to mention that he was beginning to figure out why she was doing this, and he was _trusting_ her…

She pulled away just for long enough to remove her top. There were a few places smeared with blood, but they only stung a little. Sharona ignored the pain and started pumping his shaft with her breasts.

His gasps and pants escalated into much more vocal ones and when she started sucking on him again, he knew he was close. Pino struggled to hold it off until he found his voice and told her to let go, but as if on cue, she slowed her pace into an agonizingly slow rhythum.

He cleared his throat and, as soon as he was sure he had found her voice, managed out: "Please…I can't hold this anymore."

"Then what are you waiting for?" She enquired as she ran her fingertips over the hardened cock. Pino shuddered, as every last muscle and nerve he had held tight in anticipation suddenly gave up and he released. Sharona watched his body shake with the climax, before she moved up and licked the blood off his chest slowly. What, she was only a vampire…

"Where are your things?" she asked him as soon as he was able to take a normal breath. Listening carefully to his foggy explanations, she got on her feet and ran to fetch them. By the time she was back, he had managed to sit up and fix his shorts, and the pain was slowly returning.

He saw her approach, topless and beautiful, holding his things with one hand and a bottle of vodka in the other. Her eyebrows arched questioningly: "Drowning your sorrow, I see. Well, we'll have to use that to fix you up, won't we?"

"Are you sure I'm not cured?"

"You need to close those wounds first." She said as she opened the bottle and poured a good portion on it on his chest and legs. Pino closed his eyes and hissed slowly.

"Thank you." He said when she was done. Sharona just shrugged and took a long swing from the bottle.

"If you say so." She said, before handing it to him and eyed him as he drained half of the remains in one breath "What got you so pissed?"

For a while they sat down, draining the vodka and talking. By the time he was finished, the wounds were beginning to heal and he had spilled out everything he knew about the romance between his two teammates. As Sharona listened to him she no longer wondered how on Earth did her friends get laid so frequently-this village wasn't just filled with unhappy idiots, it was crowded with them. Pino's bitterness weighted in the air like a heavy cologne, but underneath it she could feel sadness and vulnerability…and he trusted her with his problems.

Perhaps it was the strange circumstances of their meeting, or her actions, or both, were what made him so open to her, but he did.

Somehow, she felt for the poor guy. It was clear that he esteemed Tona and cared for Zoria, and couldn't tell them how he felt, however angry he felt. After she listened to him use quite a few explicative terms for their behavior, she decided to speak up: "Honestly, Pino, they're your friends. Do you think they'd do this to you?"

"I'm not pretty obvious, aren't I! You didn't even know I had feelings for her until I told you."

"They lived with you, they should know."

"Well then, I must've been pretty invisible today, because when I walked on them this morning, they didn't even notice me. If you hadn't found me today, I'd have died and I would've been happy. Although…I don't have any objection to the way you brought me back…" he said with a wicked grin, draping his arm over her waist. She removed it playfully.

"Enough's enough. It wasn't my fault that you acted like a baby."

"Oh, why do you listen to me?" he wondered out loud "You're like a creature from another world, aren't you. And yet you listen to me with such compassion. I'm pathetic, aren't I?"

"Not that much. It's the noble thing to do, after all…not to get in the way of another's happiness…you love them, don't you?"

"Of course. I love Zoria, and Tona's like a brother to me, and I would kill anyone who hurt them, but…"

"But it still hurts." She sighed as she put her top back on and shook her golden locks "It's a pity. You're too young to be a mental wreck."

"I'm not a mental wreck!" Pino objected vehemently "I'm not even…"

"Upset? Angry? Vengeful? Believe me, you're all that and more. If we hadn't used most of the alcohol, you'd have drowned yourself in it."

"I'm only human." He pouted, before looking up at her "Are you leaving?"

"My friends would be worried for me, no matter how busy they are." She said.

"Come on." Pino sat up "Can't you stay a little longer? I still wanna talk to you."

"Are you sure you're not drunk after all?" Sharona enquired.

"Who, me?!" He cried indignantly and jumped up "I'm perfectly fine. Why won't you stay?"

"If they look for us, they'll find us. If they find us, it's very likely that your emotional dilemma gets found out. Knowing Horo and Chocolove, it won't be long before Tona and Zoria hear of this."

Pino's eyes narrowed as he walked closer to her. Sharona felt a shiver run down her spine as she watched him approach her, but self-respect held her from backing off. He stopped until their bodies were mere inches away, and all it took was for him to bend down and the distance would be closed. The smell was intoxicating-alcohol, blood, sea and…Pino…his body looked fresh like snow…

She titled her head sideways, enquiring. He just mumbled: "Do you honestly have to be so right about everything?"

"More or less."

"You take care of everyone this way?"

"Only those who let me."

"Nobody takes care of you though…"

His eyes traveled down her body hungrily, before he prowled forward. Their chest pressed and his strong hands came down to cup her ass. Sharona's gaze shifted up. Blue crashed with blue and for a moment, they stared at each other.

"I wanna make love to you, you know." Pino said quietly

"It would be even more compromising when they find us, wouldn't it?" she asked as their lips pressed. At first it was cold and salty, like the sea. Then it became hot and moist, as his hands traveled up and down her back and his tongue ravished her mouth. Sharona let out a quiet moan as she pressed against him shyly, but there was nothing shy about the way she grabbed him by the shoulders and crushed her hips against his. An appreciative groan escaped her lips as she felt the bulge in his trousers against her center, but nevertheless, pulled away.

"This won't end up well for you." She said before he pulled her in for another kiss.

"Why?" his tongue ran over one of her long fangs "Because of this? I've fought polar bears with my bare hands, Sharona. I can handle this."

"Tonight, at the main square…" she said between pants "…if you're still sober and wanna do it."

With that, she broke off, ran into the ocean and swam off towards her friends.

* * *

Of course he wanted to do it, even when he sobered up with one hell of a headache. He got up and fixed his face as much as he could before slipping on some clean clothes. Downstairs, he could hear Zoria and Tona talking quietly, but for the first time in days, he didn't try and make out the words. Perhaps they were concerned about him…perhaps they wondered when he'd fall asleep so that they could repeat their exercise from the night before.

HIS greatest care was picking out a shirt. For someone from a far away land, he had surprisingly little summer clothes, and the only T-shirt he had was like something out of Woodstock. There were some button-down ones, but they were too official for his cargo pants, and he wanted to wear something comfortable.

Finally, he put on a pair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, both too hot for the weather, but he comforted himself with the thought that he might not wear them for too long.

As he was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror. There was a three-day's beard on his face, his hair was disheveled, and the look in his eyes was positively…wild. However, the killing intent he had had there had been replaced with something darker, more primal, less controllable…it frightened him and empowered him in the same time…

All his life, there had been distractions. As they were getting closer to their goal, the distractions got harder to ignore. From abandoned kids struggling to survive, they had unexpectedly turned into adults, but it wasn't until Yoh had defeated him that he realized that Zoria was, indeed, a woman. From that had sprung all sorts of unrealistic ideas, so uncharacteristic to him, and yet it had been so painful to part with them.

Now, the pain wasn't gone, but it wasn't so loud. And he had other thoughts on his mind than his two friends in love. Sharona…he wasn't sure what he felt for her. There was more to her than she let transpire, and he felt fascinated by the secrets she hid from him. He wasn't sure about those canine teeth, but no matter the danger, he trusted her. She was this kind of person.

And he wanted her. Oh, how he wanted her! Ever since he first saw her, he felt something about her irking him, but back then he had been too concerned with the fight to realize it. She was too damn proper. All the time, picture perfect…he wanted to ruffle her up, he wanted to see her lose control, call for him, acknowledge him, allow him to please her. God, he wanted to pound in her like a beast in heat, hear her call for him…

This was certainly no gentleman's behavior, and she was a person that deserved respect. Her mere presence demanded it. You couldn't see it at first sight-her rigid behavior and old style made people mistake her for a bitter spinster…Sharona was definitely a person to have such pervy thoughts about…

And yet he did.

* * *

She knew he was there before she saw him. Sitting by the fountain, she had done her best to stay incognito, and yet he seemed to find her without any difficulty. He was prowling, Sharona thought with some strange excitement, and felt faint. He mover through the crowd effortlessly, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a bouquet of flowers-his posture was absolutely carefree, and yet he managed to look dangerously sexy at the same time. Gods, she had been abstaining for too long, Sharona thought without changing her facial expression by a bit as he stopped before her and grinned.

The woman was born graceful, Pino mused as she rose from her seat delicately and returned his smile before closing the distance and giving him a peck on the lips. He must look like an ape, compared to her, he thought as he offered her the flowers with a shaking hand.

That smile she gave him when she received them could've melted an iceberg. "Irises?" Sharona asked curiously.

"I wasn't sure what would be appropriate to get you, and you always wear blue."

"Good deduction." She moved closer "So, you're still up for it? You're going to be pretty anemic afterwards."

"Did you make sure your friends won't interrupt?" he asked, before taking her hand in his. Grinning, she led him through the streets to her lodgings.

As they walked, his mind raced wildly. He wondered if it would be cheating, going off to have sex with another woman while he still loved Zoria. Her romance with Tona wasn't likely to last forever, and he had always been by her side. As it was, it wouldn't be fair neither to her, him or Sharona. He imagined that he called out for Zoria while he made love to Sharona, and no matter her reaction, it would be cruel.

But...he watched her walk in that sundress of hers, all white with blue flowers, her hair flowing freely, the muscles on her white calves dancing as she stepped lightly on the ground…She knew everything. And besides, Zoria had never loved him. She'd never said that she loved him. She was his best friend's girlfriend and he had to live with that.

* * *

The door to the lodgings opened up. Sharona walked without turning on the lights to the kitchen, got some white wine from the fridge and filled to glasses, before cleaning up the bottle and putting the flowers in it. He leaned on the kitchen table and observed her graceful movements, transfixed.

"So you're sure about this?" she asked finally

"The question is: Are you?"

Sharona laughed and handed him his glass. "It can happen on the kitchen table, the couch, the bathroom floor or the bedroom. Take your pick."

He took a sip from the wine, before bowing his head and inserted in into her mouth by kissing her slowly, sensually. His free hand pulled her close, not giving her any room. Pressing her between him and the table, he rocked his hips against hers, causing her to moan quietly. Her skirt hiked up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he seated her on the table. It shook dangerously as he slumped forward, attaching her neck with his mouth and bringing her body as close as it could get.

Pino abandoned the glass and let his hand slide up her leg, under the skirt, and stroked her inner thigh. Sharona sighed and grounded herself harder against his erection, causing him to shudder. He bowed his head and ravished her breast through the material of the dress, and barely registered her hands press him down gently.

Finally, he looked up at her-the pale skin on her face only made her ruby red mouth stand out. Her lips were parted expectantly, and her shining eyes were half-hidden between fluttering lids. The image alone was enough to drive him insane, but he braced himself and managed in a raspy voice:

"Where's the bedroom."

"Second floor…last door on the right." Sharona answered, before wrapping her legs around him tightly and letting him pick her up. The improvised vase and glasses were taken somehow intact as he found his way through the house and were rested on the table in her room before Pino settled her down on the bed.

He kissed her more, while his hands caressed her sides and hips in circles. Meanwhile, her hands slowly worked down his back and at some point, he lost his shirt, allowing her to latch on his neck and chest. His breathing became uneven as her hands moved on his front and she slipped her fingertips under the hem of his jeans.

"Gods, this is…" His mind was becoming dazed as she pushed him away from her and, as she sat on the bed, undid the buttons of his jeans and kissed some of the exposed skin before touching him through his boxers.

"Have you ever done this?" the question set his mind on fire. Why would she ask that? Had he done something wrong? Or maybe she just needed one look to know…And then she let out an appreciative smile "It's been a long road. You probably couldn't allow anything to distract you…It must've been exhausting."

"Not so much. You always find the time to relax…" He began lamely, and then she looked up at him. Her lips were curved knowingly.

"If it's any consolation for you, it's been a while for me…to have such thoughts…or to be with someone this perceptive…" she rubbed her cheek against his stomach and placed her palm over his groin "So I hope you'll be patient with me…"

He smiled as he ran his fingers through her locks. "I'm honored."

Then, slowly, he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her down to lie on the bed. The buttons on her dress slowly became undone under his fingers and, as he was halfway down, pushed the folds aside to reveal her breasts. Sharona closed her eyes and relaxed as he bent over her and took one peek in his mouth. His coarse beard scratched the irritated skin pleasantly and she groaned approvingly. Her hands moved into his hair and pushed his head down.

Pino's hands slowly ghosted down and dragged over her still clothed hips. Then he pulled away and started undoing the rest of the dress. He was nearly finished when he took a moment to look at her. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even, but her smile still played on her lips as if she was expecting something good to happen. Her hair was bright gold compared to her pale skin. The dark red bruises from the tentacles of the jellyfish seemed shocking in comparison to her ephemerae beauty, but Pino knew that she wasn't a mirage that would disappear as soon as he touched her.

The dress parted finally and she slightly rose to let him remove it. His palms rested, warm and strong, on her hips, before going on her inner thighs, close to her center. Pino rested near her, while he toyed with the edge of her lacy panties, and wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. Suddenly, he pulled her flush against him, sealed his lips on hers and slipped two fingers into her.

A muffled gasp was all that he heard, while he pushed slowly the fingers in and out of her welcoming warmth. Her hips rocked slightly with him and she braced herself on his shoulders as he continued with a fastening pace. His grip on her shoulders didn't hinder. In fact, it only got stronger and at some point, he broke the kiss to breathe freely. The room was filled with their quiet gasps for air, as Sharona tried to be as quiet as possible. Her muffled whimpers, even when they were sure there was nobody to interrupt, excited him.

Her nails dug into the skin of his shoulders, warning him that she was near, and he quickly covered her mouth with his while his fingers worked frantically over the small bud of nerves in the juncture of her thighs…and then, with a muffled cry, she climaxed, her back arched and she relaxed against him.

Pino gently rested his hand on her waist and watched as her breathing evened. But she didn't wait that long before she started pulling his jeans and boxers down his legs, and he quickly followed her lead by helping her with her panties.

"Ready?" she asked as she braced herself above him.

"Almost." Pino smiled, but let her slide on him. He groaned as her muscles rippled and wrapped around him, and she set up an excruciatingly slow pace. Sharona's head dropped back and a raspy moan escaped her as she worked herself up and down, but her body was ready and still, totally in control.

Until he rolled over on top and pressed her down. Half-sitting, half-laying, Sharona felt him plunge even deeper into her, and her eyes rolled on the back of her head. His fingers gripped and dug into the flesh of her thighs and his thrusts got harder and harder. She moved in synch with him, squeezing her thighs and grinding her hips to his. The fraction, combined with the way her inner muscles rippled around him, soon caused him to lose control.

Sharona's breathing deepened. It was like that every time-the initial excitement and greed soon gave way to a subduing pleasure and she felt calmer, even when their movements became frantic. It was like submerging into a deep, warm sea.

Pino, on the other hand, felt like dying. His heart was beating faster than ever, he felt hotter than ever, as if his body would give up on him any second now. Her heat would've burned him if the pleasure wasn't so addicting. His mind was shut down-all he could do was move faster and faster towards the edge, until he fell over it. Their bodies froze for a brief second in a tense, tight embrace, before the orgasm rumbled over them like a tidal wave and they crashed down, worn out and exhausted.

And then they resurfaced.

* * *

Strange enough, it was Pino that voiced the idea of them sharing a shower, and Sharona didn't argue. As she rubbed the shampoo into his unruly hair, he whispered:

"How many times has this repeated itself? I barely know you and I have the feeling that I've known you forever."

"I haven't kept track of it." She said, pausing for a moment "Some vampires transform their lovers for the sake of never losing them again, but I have a feeling that if you live long enough, you will see that history repeats itself. If a soul is restless enough, it can find the other again and again, until they both meet on the other side."

"You're a vampire, a shaman and a woman. Aren't you more sensitive about this than men?" he asked as he rinsed the soap off and turned around to return the favor. Sharona purred as his fingers worked on the nervous knots in her neck before moving up her scalp.

"I am. You've no idea what it's like to live for so long with the feeling that you meet the same people, over and over again, that you re-live your life more times than you could count, and you're the only one who knows that. And yet the world changes. That's what keeps you from going mad."

"Do you think that we've met before?"

"Probably." She said as his hands went through her curls "There have been people like you, who read me like an open book. With them, it was the best-they chose to be with me in spite of my nature. It was mostly for them that I tried to gain more self-control-I wanted to stay with them longer than with the others."

"I'm sorry." He said when they got out of the shower and started to dry off.

"Why? It was male curiosity. That never changes." She said, digging through the closet for a clean change of sheets. "I'm the oldest harlot in the world-it's only natural for you to wonder if you're any different than all the other men that have lived."

"Not at all." Pino contradicted, fastening the towel around his hips and helping her out with the sheet.

"Well, it's always the same and it's different." Sharona said. She finished drying herself off and lied naked in the bed, motioning him to do the same. She cuddled next to him and he pulled one of the drapes over both of them. "You figured it out faster than anyone, though."

"Thank you."

"Thank yourself."

"Aren't you smoking?" he looked at her pipe "You always carry that thing around."

"Because it's pretty." She yawned "And it changes easily. Smoking is relatively new, Pino. I've lived through history, seen languages form and disappear, societies at their peak and fall, the birth and death of so many loved ones…No addiction can beat the hunger for blood, and yet I've subdued it somehow. A shower and clean sheets in which to snuggle beat champagne and a cigarette every day."

"Which time did you like best?" he enquired as he ran his thumb over her nipple absent-mindedly. She shifted so that his face was pressed to the crook of her neck.

"The present. It's the brightest yet." Sharona answered.

Pino sighed as her scent filled his world. It was all so soft, so warm, so…real…he wanted to stay like that forever. "Will I ever find you again?" he asked, just as the lack of sleep was taking its tool from him.

"Idiot…." She laughed quietly when he finally dropped off to sleep "You always have."

* * *

**A/N**-SO, this is the end of the vampire series. For all of you that read them, can you guys give me a throughout review? Rate them on the 5 scale? Each fic seperately, if possible. I wanna know what you think! Maybe, sometime in the future, I might end up writing a story about the group becoming vampires and getting together...We'll see. Thank you for all your support, you've been a lovely audience.

Compliments to my beta, The Archon, for his eagerness to read these series. You may thank him by reading his Sharona story, "Knight in the moonlight's shadow". Who knows, maybe we'll see a second chapter faster when he gets more reviews.

Cheers, and expecting some ratings here,

F.S.


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